The GAC Engineering Institute, a subsidiary of the Guangzhou Automobile Group Co, plans to establish its second research and development (R&D) center in the United States by the end of 2017, according to a senior company executive.

The planned R&D center, which will be located in Detroit, best known as the center of the US automobile industry, will help facilitate the GAC group's strategy of entering the developed markets, as stated by Wang Qiujing, president of the GAC Engineering Institute.

"We are building a global R&D network, as the GAC group has been making great efforts in developing cutting-edge technologies, which will help lead the industrial trend," Wang said.

The GAC group has already set up its first R&D center in the Silicon Valley and more research centers will be built in other areas, according to Wang.

He added the company's R&D center will focus on the research of advanced technologies of electric power vehicles, as the GAC group has been making great efforts to the development of new energy and intelligent connected automobiles in the near future.

"We will focus on development of self-innovated plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles," Wang said.

The GAC group has also, so far, developed its EV model GE3, GA3S PHEV and GS4 PHEV, which are installed with power engines of 1.5 ATK and G-MC.

"We will develop professional module platforms to reduce production costs and make our new energy vehicles more competitive in the market," he said.

The company's newly-launched GS4 PHEV, along with its star models of GS8 and GS7, were used as designated cars in a charity and promotional event, which was launched on Monday.

The event will start from Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, and pass major cities related to the Silk Road Economic Belt, according to the company.